


Hold Me Down

by A_Ravens_Flight



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:41:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25169365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Ravens_Flight/pseuds/A_Ravens_Flight
Summary: Ash and IQ work a stakeout mission that changes Eliza's perspective on dating in Rainbow.Request/Gift work for Ronnie <3
Relationships: Eliza "Ash" Cohen/Monika "IQ" Weiss
Comments: 11
Kudos: 59





	Hold Me Down

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alrangerz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alrangerz/gifts).



Monika Weiss has a crush on Eliza Cohen.

She knows it, her friends know it … hell, all of the base knows it at this point (she’s really not that subtle with her flirting).

Absolutely everyone knows that IQ would fall at the feet of Ash for a chance to love her. All except for the fiery redhead herself apparently.

And it’s driving Monika nuts.

It’s not that Eliza is oblivious, quite the opposite in fact, it’s just that for the engineer and soldier, duty always has to come before everything. And more often than not (and much to Six’s exasperation) that included herself. 

So Ash put the blinders on shortly after meeting IQ and realising she might actually like her, and she hasn’t taken them off since. 

But now that Six has tasked them both to a three week stakeout with nothing but each other for company, it’s safe to say that Eliza is actually a little worried. At least on base she had places to hide from the German, and in the field there wasn’t much chance for talking, a small apartment could prove difficult.

“You all set there Liza?” Castle asks his fellow swat officer and best friend, a quirk in his brow as he tries (and fails) to hide his glee at her obvious frustration.

Ash mumbles something under her breath and gives him a hard jab to his shoulder. She quickly flips off Thermite too who isn’t even trying to hide his amusement at her predicament. 

“Awwww, why the long face Cohen? You get to spend the next three weeks with Weiss … a dream come true if you ask me.” Thermite quips with a grin, making Ash groan and pull her cap down hard on her head. 

“Real funny guys, real funny.” She growls and steals a quick glance over to where IQ is waiting for her, the German thoroughly engrossed in a conversation with Twitch and Caviera. Her bags are packed at her feet, and judging by the number of them, she’s planning on bringing her whole workshop with her. 

Ash sighs and looks down to her own solitary bag, only the bare essentials packed military style, leaving no room for any personal effects. 

The bags are acting as a damn good metaphor for the two really, or at least Ash seems to think so. 

“It’s hilarious Liza!” Thermite grins making her look back over at Monika, her breath hitching for the slightest of moments.

Despite her namesake (and temper), Ash is in fact Ice whilst IQ is the Fire, putting them together like this could prove dangerous to her.

Thermite follows her gaze and snickers. 

“You think she’s got some toys in there? Heard you gays love them. Wish I could watch her us-“

He doesn’t get to finish his sentence, Castle hits him upside the head and steps between them before Ash can get to him. She looks furious with a piercing stare that could (and would) strike him down if he wasn’t so used to being chided like this.

“You’re such a sleeze Jordan.” Miles shakes his head at the man. 

“What? I was only messing around! Besides, everyone knows she’s only got eyes for Eliza. She wouldn’t even notice me.” He adds with a sheepish smile. 

“Shut up Jordan. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ash growls back at him but can’t help the blush that burns her cheeks. It’s mostly disgusting what came out of his mouth, but that last part was true at least. She just couldn’t afford to entertain such thoughts, not when Six relied on her so heavily to be the leader and keep the team alive in the field. 

No, Ash had to be objective, there was no time for relationships in Rainbow. Besides, IQ was way out of her league, like … way out there. Whatever feelings the woman might have for her were probably misguided, born from the fact that for the longest time she was the only woman on the team, and for even longer still, the only gay woman. That was until Twitch arrived, but then she only had eyes for a certain BOPE psychopath.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by Castle's hand on her shoulder. “You’ll be fine Cohen, it’s only a few weeks and you two work great together.”

“Yeah, in the field. We don’t exactly hang out together during personal time Miles.” Ash sighed again. “She’s probably going to want to talk and stuff.”

“Oh god, talking? That’s too much, next you’ll tell me Monika wants to braid your hair and chat about boys. The audacity.” Miles laughs, pulling the lip of her cap up with a wink.

“Oh ha ha, a couple of comedians today aren’t you both? Guess I should be glad Jack or Meghan aren’t here too.” Eliza chuckled before Jäger strolled past and gave her the ‘five minutes’ symbol with his hand, promptly making his way over to the helicopter and IQ afterwards. 

“What the hell do I even talk to her about? I don’t have any interests to talk about outside of work and there’s no way I’ll be able to go toe to toe with her if she starts talking about computers,” She asked in an exasperated tone, hauling her bag up onto her back. 

“Jesus Liz, relax would ya? It’s really not going to be as hard as you think. Just get there, do your job and come home.” Thermite starts, stopping the teasing when he realises how much his friend is actually panicking. 

It’s kinda cute really, he knows she’s doomed which is good, because secretly the man is rooting for the two to step up to the plate and stop dancing around each other. And at least this way he won’t have to watch her awkwardly fumble about. 

“Jordan is right. You’re overthinking this Liza, you’re going to be just fine. Let whatever happens happen ok? Relax and god forbid you might have some fun. If not … it’s only three weeks.” Castle offers up some comfort now.

“Yeah … you’re right. It’s only three weeks. I can do this.” Ash gives herself a quick pep talk before waving to them and leaving. 

Castle and Thermite watch her go with knowing smirks on their faces.

“She’s so screwed.”

“Literally.”

* * *

The two arrive at the low rent apartments under the cover of night, both exhausted from a long flight and eager to just get settled. 

So far Eliza hadn’t made a fool of herself with Monika, the woman even managing to hold a lengthy chat with her on pressure physics which passed most of the flight time. Monika had spoken with her quite excitedly and patiently listened to her when she went into way too much detail on her launcher. It was possibly the most the two had spoken outside of the sims and missions, though she was sure the German brought up that topic because she knew Ash was boring when it came to anything pop culture. 

Still, It was going quite smoothly and Ash actually found herself relaxing somewhat until they opened the door to the apartment and encountered their first problem. 

There was only one bedroom. 

Not to mention the place was rather small meaning there would be little room for privacy from each other. 

Ash swallowed thickly, setting her bag down on the floor before fixing a small grimace at the couch. It wasn’t ideal, but it looked comfy enough so there was that at least. 

“Cosy.” She grumbled before kicking her bag over to it. 

“Quite.” Monika chuckled, the sound making butterflies fly in Eliza’s stomach. She stepped past Ash’s bag and opened the door to the bedroom, sighing happily when she saw there was a double bed. “This looks comfy enough though, at least Six didn’t skimp on the furnishings.” 

The place was only being rented because it overlooked the scrap yard they were carrying out surveillance on. The building itself was pretty run down and the rooms came unfurnished hence their cost. Luckily, Six had thought to complete the guise of the two moving in the place by sending decorators in and ordering them the basics so they could live there comfortably. Tomorrow the truck would arrive with a TV alongside the carefully concealed surveillance equipment. 

“So … we take turns on the couch or? I’m fine to stay on it.” Eliza began, more than willing to just sleep on it herself the entire time if she had to. 

Monika just laughed. “You can’t be serious Cohen?”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s a double, no one has to sleep on the couch.” Weiss gestured to the bed itself.

“I don’t think so.” Eliza quipped back fast, flushing a little. Monika noted that and chuckled to herself.

“Why? Afraid I might bite?” 

Ash swallowed again, feeling the burn on her cheeks at that notion. 

“Cut it out.” She snaps, the words coming out harsher than intended because Monika looks wounded, meaning Eliza is quick to backtrack. “Sorry, it’s just-“ 

Monika cuts her up. “Relax, you don’t want to share then that’s your choice to make. But you’ll only take the couch for half, I’ll take it for the rest. It’s really not that big a deal.” 

“It’s just a couch Weiss, it’s not going to kill me. You can keep the room. You’ve certainly brought enough to fill it.” Ash mumbles.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Monika rebuttals, still managing to look angelic even with a scowl.

“Nothing. Just … this is an op, not a vacation. Six is counting on us. We can’t afford any distractions!”

Eliza stands her ground, not sure why she’s being this weird and hostile already. Monika just looks confused and shrugs at her bags.

“I know that Eliza and I don’t appreciate what you’re trying to insinuate,” she starts, continuing on before Ash can interrupt her. “If you must know … I suffer from bouts of insomnia. It’s been bad lately, Finka suggested I bring along some new gadgets to work on to try and tire my brain out. It, like the couch, is not a big deal. So why are you being like this? Did I do something to upset you?” 

Eliza sighs in resignation and mumbles something along the lines of ‘fuck’. She’s not entirely sure why she felt the need to be so hostile then, only that now she has done it there’s no taking it back, the mood ruined and her left feeling like an ass. She had no idea IQ had a problem like that, the women just seemed so perfect to her, intimidatingly so.

“No … it’s just …” Ash trips over herself and feels the heat rise to her cheeks again at the way IQ is looking at her. “Lets just call it a night, ok? That was a long flight and we’re going to have a lot to do tomorrow so I’m going to rest. You should too. Well … try at least.” 

Monika fixes her an odd look and shakes her head. 

“Fine. Whatever. I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.” 

And with that Eliza is left to her own thoughts as the German ferries the rest of her bags into the bedroom and shuts the door a little harder than necessary. 

‘Great’ she thinks to herself. Barely even a few hours in and already she’s put up a wall between the two. Which, when you think about it, is what she wanted.

Right?

* * *

**Day 5**

The smell of hot coffee greets Eliza and rouses her from her slumber. She groans a little and rolls over, hand reaching to check her phone for the time. It’s early, very early. The birds are barely awake. This is Cohen’s favourite time of day.

“Morning.” Monika chirps happily from the kitchen.

“Hey.” Eliza smiles back, gaze shifting from the window to the German. The smile becomes an embarrassed one when she realises that for the 4th morning in a row, Weiss is in the kitchen wearing nothing but boxer shorts and a snug fitting tank top. It leaves nothing to be desired … So why does Eliza lick her lips unconsciously?

With that thought she can almost hear Jordans snickering in her ear as she sits up and lets her feet rest on the carpet.

If the German is aware of her staring she doesn’t say anything, just continues to potter about the small kitchen and busy herself making them both breakfast. The sentiment makes Ash feel a little warm inside, especially considering she hadn’t apologised for being such a bitch when they first got to the place. Monika had brushed it off, talking to her like normal, but notably she’d given Eliza the space she thought she wanted, barely spending any longer than a few minutes in the same room as her except for the change over in watch. 

That did make her feel a little sad, but she reminded herself that it was what  _ she _ had wanted.

“Any activity?” Cohen dives right in, taking the tray of food and coffee from Weiss who passes the couch and perches herself on the edge of its side to take sips from her own brew.

“Nein.” Monika muses. She looks tired, more so than typical. Maybe this was the Insomnia she had mentioned?

“That’s not good. I thought for sure we’d have something to report by now.” Eliza sighs, inhaling the coffee and letting it break through the haze of dawn. 

“Sure.” Monika replies with a soft smile, staring off into the distance. 

There's the usual few minutes of silence between the two whilst Ash eats breakfast and finishes her coffee. Monika steals glances at her, fidgeting a lot more than normal, so much so that Eliza feels compelled to talk to her.

“Are you ok?” The question seems innocent enough, no harm intended, but that’s not how it's taken by the blonde who stiffens and looks away from her.

“Im fine.” Weiss snaps, flinching herself at her own tone. 

Eliza shrugs and decides not to press despite the sudden urge to go to her. It makes her frustrated, annoyed at her own resolve, it seemed so strong back at Hereford but now it was fragile in this tiny flat. 

“I need to get started on my work.” Monika pipes up again, rushing from the room and making for the bedroom. It’s only when she gets to the door and opens it does she pause before entering, turning her body ever so slightly towards where Eliza is still sitting, gaze half focused on the window. 

“Eliza?”

Ash snaps out of the trance and turns towards her, gaze curious at the gentle tone in which she said her name. 

“What’s up?”

Monika chews on her bottom lip, grip on the door handle tightening ever so slightly as she sucks in a breath and steels herself for what she’ll say next. 

“Do you like me?” 

The question catches Ash off guard, if she had any coffee left she’d have spat it out. Her mouth gapes, fluster clearly growing. 

“What?” 

“Do you like me?”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

Monika wavers a little.

“It’s just … I thought we were at least friends but lately you’ve been a little distant. I just wanted to know if I’ve done something that’s upset you or?”

“Uhhh.” 

It’s not what was supposed to come out, it should have been a simple yes or no answer, but Eliza feels as though this question has a deeper meaning. And though the sensible part of her brain is telling her to pull the brake, the imprisoned romantic is begging to be released, for Eliza to just pull the happiness thread for once in her damn life and admit her feelings for the woman, feelings that have been waging a war on her since she realised she had them for the other.

But she doesn’t get to. Her lack of actual response leaves a sour taste in Monika’s mouth. She couldn’t have known, but Weiss had finally got up the nerve to ask her out on a date, spurred on by her friends and some of Ash’s own teammates. Monika had planned to ask her soon, maybe make this mission a little less tedious and enjoy some actual time together. But with how she had been around her made the German feel the need to tip toe and check the waters first before diving in. 

Eliza was living up to her callsign, she had scalded her, leaving ashes in her wake. 

With a sad, shaky smile, Monika just drops her head and calls herself foolish under her breath.

“It’s ok. I’ll uh, I’ll-”

She doesn’t finish her sentence, rushing through the door and closing it behind her leaving Ash with her jaw slacked open. 

“Monika wait!” Cohen snaps to her senses and jumps up off the couch, but as soon as she reaches the door to try and open it she finds its locked, the sounds of the shower running coming from behind it. 

Guess the wall of frost between the two just got thicker.

“Wait to go Cohen.” Eliza curses quietly and returns to her seat.

* * *

**Day 9**

If Eliza thought she’d fucked up things badly before with IQ then she was sorely mistaken. Now, the woman wouldn’t look at her properly, almost as though the mere action of eye contact would hurt her. She kept every conversation that they were forced to have as impersonal and professional as it could possibly be. So much so in fact that even Eliza herself had tried to make a little joke about it only to be met with a very strained smile and one second glance. 

There was a distinct wall of frost between the two now and Ash had put it there. Not to mention Monika had clearly not slept much since they had got there if the bags under her eyes were anything to go off, it even looked like she’d been crying a few times too which was like a knife to the gut for the Israeli. 

She wanted to talk to her about it, desperately, anything to cut through the tension that choked every bit of space around them when they passed each other. But she couldn’t, because she herself was starting to get angry with the whole situation. Now the dust had settled she couldn’t help but feel annoyed that Monika was treating her this way just because Eliza didn’t give her loaded question the answer she was looking for. 

Part of her likened the woman to a child throwing a quiet tantrum. Like, how dare Monika act like this to her when the only reason Eliza was holding herself back was because it would be too dangerous to do otherwise! I

t was one thing to go into this line of work as friends, it was another entirely to have someone you cared for getting shot at. Ash had seen that kind of ‘distraction’ cost lives before, she understood she couldn’t go there. So why didn’t Monika?

“The sooner this damn mission is over the better” Eliza grumbled as she looked down the camera’s viewfinder to where their target was standing.

She couldn’t bring herself to pick the fight she wanted to have for fear of what truths might come out of it. But that didn’t mean Monika wasn’t going to. 

* * *

**Day 11**

It’s late in the evening when Eliza finally ‘clocks off’ from her watch. The file she is building on the target is slowly getting more extensive now that they’re seeing some action, so much so it’s actually tiring her out and making her irritable from how her eye strains against the camera now.

She’s exhausted. All she wants to do is finish inhaling the leftovers from yesterday's takeout and crawl onto the couch and pass out. But naturally she can’t, she has to wait for Monika to wake up and endure her acting like a robot for a few minutes whilst she relays what she’s seen to her. 

She settles into the couch with a sigh, nursing an ache at the back of her head when the sound of the bedroom door opening catches her attention. Her gaze narrows, she jerks upright in time to see Monika come through the door and she nearly drops her noodles onto the cheap carpet at how the woman looks. 

Monika looks dead on her feet, her hair is a mess, bags under her eyes, and to make matters worse she’s still dressed in those revealing pajamas, an increasingly distracting image for the redhead. 

Fumbling with the Chinese food box, Eliza finally looks at what she’s doing and sets it on the table in front of her before standing and running her hands over her sweats. 

“Monika?” Eliza questions, confusion evident in her eyes as she regards the changes to the woman. “Did you get any sleep at all?” She can’t help the concern in her tone. 

“I’m fit for the mission Cohen.” Monika grumbles back and moves past her. “Let’s not pretend you care about anything else,” she adds quietly with a scoff, so quiet that Eliza almost doesn’t catch it. Almost.

“Ok then.” Ash mumbles to herself and just watches Monika stand there.

She looks pissed, only it’s not clear why since usually they get a tiny moment of being civil before the ice staring contest starts.

“That’s- that’s not what I asked. I meant, is everything alright?” Eliza finally adds, after a moment of Monika standing silently nearby the couch. 

Still saying nothing, Monika brushes past her and heads over to the coffee maker, fumbling around with a mug until she drops it, the thing exploding into shards the moment it hits the hardwood floor.

There’s a tense moment of silence before Ash approaches carefully and attempts to help IQ clean up the mess. But she wont let her, she hurries to gather up the pieces with her bare hands and ends up cutting herself on a sharp piece in her haste. 

A loud string of curses in german loose from her lips after that.

Eliza is a little taken aback by her anger and she gapes for a moment before springing into action and turning for her go bag where the medkit is still packed. 

“Here, let me-” she speaks softly but Monika cuts her up and stops her in her tracks.

“You know, I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to understand why I thought you liked me.” Monika spits out, cradling her hand and flinching away as she lashes out with her words. “I just can’t figure you out Cohen. One minute you flirt with me, the next you toss me aside like I’m nothing to you.”

“Monika-”

“No! Don’t tell me I’m wrong. Everyone sees it Cohen, It’s not fair that you get to pretend to be blind when things get too deep! How do you think that makes me feel? To have you open the door then slam it back in my face? It’s cruel, mortifying.”

“Monika, wait-”

“Do you even know what it’s like? To fall in love with someone like you?”

“I-”

“It fucking sucks!”

Monika is well into her rant now and Eliza is pretty certain she’s not even noticed how much her hand is bleeding right now. Tears sting the corners of her eyes and Eliza feels compelled to wipe them away for her, but she stands her ground, careful to give her the space she so obviously needs right now to let it all out.

“I know Monika, I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not! And you don’t know! God, you’re infuriating!”

This is not something Eliza feels at all prepared to handle. She’s dealt with an insecure and regretful IQ before, but it was never about her. About them. Those things stayed firmly unspoken because Eliza never let them be heard. 

Eliza takes a step forward, suddenly feeling very exposed in her comfortable clothes. But Monika is watching her, waiting for a response, for Ash to lash out back at her. 

“I’ve never told you how I feel about you Monika. How,” she swallows, feeling so much more vulnerable saying these words out of the safety of Hereford base, surrounded by her friends and peers. “How important you are to me.”

Monika’s jaw clenches, and if Eliza couldn’t also see the way her lips quivered slightly, how her throat tightens as she swallows, she would think she’s just angry at this point, instead of seeing just how upset and hurt Weiss really is by all of this.

Her gaze locks with Eliza’s as she searches for something before she sighs and turns away from her, shoulders dropping whilst her good hand cradles the injured one. “It’s a little late to stop being a coward, Eliza. Message received. I just wish you’d have said something earlier. I never would have volunteered for this otherwise, you could have had Meghan come along instead … someone you actually talk to” she huffs, moving away from the kitchen and heading for the bathroom. 

Eliza’s head spins and she can’t quite tell if it’s from looking down the lens all day or if it’s just because of Monika, but she rushes to stop her, hand flying out to the door just as Monika reaches for the handle.

“Monika, wait. Please.”

The door bangs shut from the inch or so that it had opened, Monika jerking forward at the force of it, she raises her bad hand to catch herself and smears blood on the paint, looking a mix of hurt and annoyed with herself and Eliza.

“Move out of the way, Cohen,” Monika hisses, tilting her head slightly to fix Eliza a hardened glare. But her eyes are tired and it lacks the power it needs to be intimidating.

It’s then Eliza realises how close they are, closer than she ever allows anyone to get to her. Instinctively she goes to retreat back and give Monika her space since that’s been their dynamic of late. But Monika’s lips pull into a sneer, a look that infuriates her and strengthens her resolve to just ride out whatever this shit is if it means Monika will let her help her. 

“No,” she speaks firmly, and if she was at Hereford, if she was anywhere but here right now, Eliza was certain she would cave.

But she doesn’t, instead she squares her shoulders and stands like the leader she is, pressing on the door handle so hard she’s sure she’s leaving indents in the metal.

“Move. Now.” Monika growls impatiently, hands still on the door and body language still very much angry. 

“I am a coward,” Eliza admits, soft but firm, and shame almost envelopes her whole at how weak she’s being just by speaking like that. She can hear her Savta’s voice chiding her in her ear, her superiors scoffing at her and telling her she’s too weak for what will come next.

“Well,” Monika’s teeth grind before she faces and pushes at the door, failing to overcome Eliza’s strength right now. “At least you admit it.” 

“Monika…”

“It’s fine, this was a mistake.” Monika bites out. Eliza doesn’t know if she means coming on mission with her or having a crush on her, but the bubbling panic starts to rise in her chest.

“Please, just let me explain,” she whispers, and Monika stops pushing but doesn’t look at her either. “I know how it feel’s Monika, trust me, I know. You have no idea how much you mean to me, how hard it is to stop myself from-” she can’t finish that part, unsure of if she was going to end it with ‘kissing you’ or ‘loving you’.

Eliza drops her hand from the door as her voice cracks. Monika doesn’t move to open it though.

“I want to be with you,” she whispers, “more than I’ve ever had the guts to admit to myself.”

Monika tilts her chin up and finally looks Eliza in the eye again. Her face is unreadable, patient in a dangerous way, and she has to call on all of her strength just to stay where she is and not flee from these emotions.

“Then why don’t you get over yourself and let yourself be happy for once?” Monika turns now, dropping her hands to her sides to face Eliza fully. Blood continues to drip to the floor but neither seem to notice.

Eliza licks her lips, her stomach rolling at those words as her brain begs her to take the permission she’s being given. 

Monika doesn’t move to open the door again, so Eliza reaches out one hand and settles it on Monika’s wrist. The gasp that leaves the German’s lips is soft, little more than a deep breath, but Eliza can physically feel her pulse accelerate at the touch. And when she brushes her thumb over the back of Monika’s wrist she can feel the shiver run through the blonde's body. 

“Maybe I will.”

Those words don’t fix everything, but they must soothe a deep part of Monika because before the German is aware of what she’s doing she’s pressing her lips against Eliza’s and kissing her.

It’s only chaste, little more than a quick peck, but Eliza tenses, and her lips don’t move from the other womans as soon as they should have had. Instead she lets her nose brush over the soft curve of Monika’s rosy cheek in the pretense of pulling away, trying not to smile at the way she can hear Monika’s heart beat faster under her shirt.

She relents, pulling back slowly, not ready to break contact entirely yet. A murmured ‘thank you’ falling from the corner of Monika’s mouth, so quiet that she almost didn’t hear it. 

Her pulse is still thundering beneath her fingers, the feel of it so distracting that Eliza barely notices Monika’s injured hand settling on her stomach until she feels the blood seep through her shirt. 

“Let me take care of that for you,” Eliza whispers, Monika nodding slowly, eyes crinkling with affection that’s been bursting to be seen from day one of meeting Ash.

The next part is a blur, neither speaking much to each other as Eliza digs out the first aid kit and cleans the injury, dressing it with a giddy smile on her face that is shared by the other woman. She knows they’ll have to actually take some time and talk to each other about all of this and where it might go, but right now her mind is focused solely on working out all that pent up frustration she felt from holding herself back from Monika. 

They barely even make it to the bedroom before Eliza’s lips are on the blonde’s again. Monika’s hands slip behind her neck and her mouth accepts her eagerly, and Eliza tells herself that maybe this is a bad idea even though her own hands slip around the petite blondes waist and push her back up against the bedroom door.

Monika tugs Eliza against her chest and it’s then the Israeli woman realises that she can’t ever stop herself again from enjoying this warm and soft feeling that spreads throughout her core. It’s a drug and she’s already hooked.

“Gods!” Monika sighs into her mouth as Eliza forcefully pins her before reaching for the hem of her shirt and pulling it up. She hesitates, one brow raised in question, but Monika nods sharply, giving her permission. The woman would beg Ash for her touch right now if that’s what it took. And Eliza already knows the power she’s wielding if her smirk is anything to go off.

Eliza licks her lips as the hem of Monika’s shirt passes her breasts and she nudges her arms away from her so she can lift it up and over her head. “Hot!” Cohen growls, dropping the garment to the ground and pressing a wet kiss against her sternum.

Monika’s cheeks are on fire at this point, her whole body aflame and mouth dry. And when Eliza slips a hand up her back she thinks she might explode at the feel of her nails raking gently over skin at first. But then they dig harder and she gasps at how sweet the pain is. 

“Take off your bra.” Eliza commands, her breath hot against Monika’s ear as she nibbles on the lobe and trails kisses down her neck. Monika whimpers from the words, wondering why Eliza doesn’t just do it herself until she feels her fingers dip below her boxer shorts and palm her ass, tugging her forward. 

She rushes to comply, shuddering and fumbling with the strap when Eliza’s knee starts to slide between her legs, intentions clear on its destination. 

“Weiss.” Eliza’s warns and Monika stops fumbling and slips off the bra, letting it fall to the floor to join her shirt. Her breasts are bare for only a moment before Eliza is whispering praise against her skin. The woman wastes no further time, licking and sucking her way to her nipple, taking the peak in her mouth and biting lightly. 

Monika whimpers again and pulls Eliza closer, her back resting against the wall as her uninjured hand starts to work it’s way under the Redhead’s sweatpants. 

Cool air settles over Monika’s nipple, wet from Eliza’s mouth, and she looks down as Eliza starts to kiss her way back up Monika’s throat, her nose nuzzling into Monika’s neck for just a moment before she whispers. 

“Higher”.

Eliza’s hips roll forward and she spreads her legs wider, Monika obeying the command, tugging at the fabric until she can feel the cotton lace of Eliza’s underwear. Eliza lets out a choked gasp when Monika’s fingers run the length of the fabric, brushing beneath the material to stroke the skin of her inner thigh.

With no real barrier to stop her, Eliza retaliates by pressing her thigh against Monika’s center, where she is already hot and wet, aching to be touched. The pressure is good, so good, and Eliza’s fingers dig into Monika’s ass to pull her even closer, helping her to grind against Eliza’s thigh.

“Liza,” Monika can’t help but moan, and it’s music to Eliza’s ears, makes her melt. She pulls her lips back from her neck and looks into her eyes, and Monika thinks she should be nervous with the way she’s being looked at, with the way her hands start to slide out of Monika’s pants, until she’s settling them either side of the woman's hips.

“Take them off.” Eliza asks again, thumbs rubbing the supple skin that’s barely covered by the shorts, ignoring how close Monika’s fingers are to where she wants them. Her words come out soft, almost a question, a quiet request for more. 

Eliza wants to hear Monika say her name again, and Monika does. “Eliza,” she whispers it, says it with reverence. Neither is sure what tonight is supposed to be for each other, it’s somewhere past intimate, but the way Eliza is looking at Monika, the way she is sure she is also looking at her, tips the last of reservations off the scale and out the window.

Monika can’t get her shorts off fast enough. Eliza giggles and helps, hooking her fingers into the waistband and dragging them down until they too settle on the floor with the ever growing pile of clothes. She marvels at the sight she’s greeted with, licks her lips and swallows unconsciously. “Damn Monika,” The Redhead hums in approval, and Monika bats her eyes with an innocent smile.

“You too Eliza,” The blonde murmurs, bringing a hand up to tug lightly at Eliza’s shirt, but Ash just pushes her hand away, dropping to her knees with a mischievous smile on her face. Before Monika can react Eliza’s lips are on her inner thighs and kissing a line across to her folds. 

“ _ Ohhh, _ ” she moans, her eyes sliding closed as her legs are pushed apart and Ash’s hands steady themselves on either side of her thighs. She’s wet, so slick, and she can hear just how when Eliza slips in a few fingers and starts to thrust. Her tongue laps at her folds, circling her clit, her nose tickling the small patch of hair above it. 

Eliza is firm and quick and above all talented, and Monika wants to open her eyes and watch the Redhead fucking her but she thinks she might come there and then if she does. Instead she lets her head loll back and hit the door, breathing deeply for a moment until her curiosity gets the better of her and she looks down.

And Eliza looks delicious. She’s beautiful on her knees, not quite the miss perfect that everyone expects her to be, that everyone sees her as, and it tips Monika over the edge. She comes after only a few minutes of attention from Eliza’s tongue as it unravels her, her fingers curling and rubbing against the inner sweet spot that makes her soaked. Her orgasm is powerful, sends stars to dance around her head, and Eliza arises and settles her own hips against her as she enters her again and pumps her fingers, brushing her clit with her thumb, guiding her through the aftershocks. Monika jolts with the aftershocks, mouth slack and open as her breath comes out in pants and soft whimpers leave her lips.

Mercilessly, Eliza pulls out and brings her fingers to her lips, Monika going wide eyed as she’s treated to Eliza sucking her juices from them until they’re clean. It’s then the realisation of how this is going to change things starts to set in. 

Because it has to. 

Even before Monika kissed Eliza, before Eliza kissed her back, touched her, fucked her, things were going to have to change. She couldn’t throw up the walls anymore without dire consequences. 

Eliza’s endorphins start to ebb and her anxiety washes over her. She starts to panic, eyes wide in fear she’s just stepped on a landmine. But Monika takes her wrists in her own and rubs soft circles into the skin, eyes tired but gaze soft and loving. She brushes the hair back from Eliza’s face, leaning in to capture her lips in a softer, less urgent kiss. 

Eliza see’s the bed in the corner of her eye. She wants Monika to stay, to talk to her about where they are after they’ve touched,after they’ve kissed. Wants to know that Monika isn’t hurt by her lingering reservations. Wants to take her to the bed and spreads her out for hours on end.

Her heart continues to pound, and Monika starts to pull back, wrapping her arms around her neck and pressing their foreheads together, hands tangled in loose strands of hair that have freed themselves from her braid.

“You’ve already made the leap Eliza, just have the courage to keep falling. I’m with you.” Monika whispers to her, all but begging her not to clam up now and let loose words of regret. 

Eliza hesitates a moment, a brewing question hard and heavy and big. Vulnerable. But Monika isn’t pulling away. She’s watching, waiting, and Ash wants to try. Wants to fall down the rabbit hole and throw caution to the wind. She wants to work on it, stop being a coward hiding behind rules and regulations. Stop denying herself the love that Monika can clearly so freely give to her and she can return. And so she speaks up. 

“You were right. The bed really does look comfy.”

Monika’s eyes crinkle as the smile spread across her lips and she lets out a low chuckle. 

“It is, care to test it out?”

* * *

**Hereford Base**

“Here they come.” Castle calls out to Thermite, standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest as they watch the Helicopter descend to the landing pad.

“You got my money Miles?” Thermite smirks, confident in his bet as he walks over with Pulse and Valkyrie in tow.

“You two betting again?” Valkyrie scoffs. 

“Just a friendly wager, a dumb one on old Castle’s part.” Thermite teases, waving over to Eliza who is stepping off the Heli and shouldering her bag. 

“My eyes aren’t so good in my advanced age, but does Eliza look happy to you?” Castle jokingly asks Valkyrie, an obvious grin on his face as he already knows he won’t be paying out. 

Valk just rolls her eyes and walks out to meet them, clueless to what's going on. She’s just about to hold out her hand to help Monika disembark when Eliza does it instead, the woman pulling her in closer than what would be deemed necessary. Monika beams, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. 

They hear Jordan curse in the distance and watch Miles stretch out his hand to take something from him. 

“You guys alright? That was a lot of time to be stuck together. I half expected to be sending a relief team. You have fun?” Meghan chuckles to the two. 

There's a moment of silence as Monika and Eliza just share a look with each other before Monika answers. 

“Yeah, we had fun,” she smirks, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and flushing red. 

“Yeah, definitely fun.” Eliza smirks back, “See you later on babe?”

“Can’t wait!” Monika beams.

Meghan’s jaw drops. 


End file.
